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The information in this profile may be out-of-date. It was last revised in 1996. EXTOXNET no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

Please visit the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) to find updated pesticide fact sheets. If you don't find a fact sheet related to your question, feel free to call 1-800-858-7378. NPIC is open five days a week from 8:00am to 12:00pm Pacific Time.

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E X T O X N E T

Extension Toxicology Network

Pesticide Information Profiles

A Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University, Oregon State University, the University of Idaho, and the University of California at Davis and the Institute for Environmental Toxicology, Michigan State University. Major support and funding was provided by the USDA/Extension Service/National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program.

EXTOXNET primary files maintained and archived at Oregon State University

Revised June 1996

Ryania

Trade and Other Names: Trade names of this product are Natur Gro R-50, Natur Gro Triple Plus, Ryanicide, and Ryan 50.

Regulatory Status: Ryania is a General Use Pesticide (GUP). It is classified as EPA toxicity class III - slightly toxic. Products containing this pesticide are labeled with the Signal Word CAUTION.

Chemical Class: botanical insecticide

Introduction: Ryania is a botanical insecticide made from the ground stems of Ryania speciosa, a native plant of tropical America. The principal alkaloid in this stem extract is ryanodine, which makes up approximately 0.2% of the product. Ryania is highly toxic to the fruit moth, coddling moth, corn earworm, European corn borer, and citrus thrips, but it is ineffective against the cabbage maggot, cauliflower worm, and boll weevil. Ryania is a complex mixture of many compounds; thus, no single structure would represent it.

Formulation: Ryania is a botanical insecticide made from the ground stems of Ryania speciosa, a native plant of tropical America. The principal alkaloid in this stem extract is ryanodine which makes up approximately 0.2% of the product. Ryania is a complex mixture of many compounds, thus no single structure would represent it.

Toxicological Effects:

• Acute toxicity: Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, weakness, and diarrhea [23]. Rigidity of the muscles and depression of the central nervous system can lead to a coma and death from respiratory failure at high doses [23]. The reported oral LD50s for ryania in rats are 1200 mg/kg and 750 mg/kg [56]. Reported LD50s in guinea pigs and rabbits are 2500 mg/kg and 650 mg/kg respectively [57]. Dogs appear to be much more susceptible with an LD50 of 150 mg/kg [23]. The observed toxicity is apparently due to the ryanodine alkaloid, which is 500 to 700 times more toxic than the crude powder [23]. A 2 to 5 mg/kg dose of ryanodine elicited symptoms in the frog and mouse [58]. The dermal LD50 in rats is above 2000 mg/kg. Inhalation data reported semiquantitatively indicate that ryania may be of low toxicity via inhalation [57].
• Chronic toxicity: Rats and guinea pigs were fed diets containing 1% ryania powder (approximately 600 mg/kg/day for rats and 361 mg/kg/day for guinea pigs) during a 5-month period [57] and showed no symptoms. Rats fed 5% diets (approximately 2700 mg/kg/day) experienced severe weight loss and 100% mortality within 25 days [58].
• Reproductive effects: No data are currently available.
• Teratogenic effects: No data are currently available.
• Mutagenic effects: No data are currently available.
• Carcinogenic effects: No data are currently available.
• Organ toxicity: Very large doses of ryania powder (from 1200 to 2700 mg/kg/day) in the diets of rats produced hemorrhages in the pancreas and intestines. They also produced lung complications in the test animals [57]. Ryania mainly exerts its effects on striated (skeletal) muscle tissue and cardiac smooth muscle, although evidence for effects on other smooth muscles (e.g., bladder) is mounting [59,60].

• Fate in humans and animals: No data are currently available.

Ecological Effects:

• Effects on birds: Ryania is moderately toxic to birds and wildfowl. Some LD50 values include: wild birds, 1.78 mg/kg; pigeons, 2.31 mg/kg; and quail, 13.3 mg/kg [23]. Chickens fed for 6 months on diets of 1% ryania showed no symptoms and did not have any evidence of cumulative effects [23].
• Effects on aquatic organisms: It is considered moderately toxic to fish. Reported 96-hour LC50s are 3.2 mg/L in rainbow trout and 18.5 mg/L in bluegill [23].
• Effects on other organisms: No data are currently available.

Environmental Fate:

• Breakdown in soil and groundwater: No data are currently available.
• Breakdown in water: The toxicologically active portion of ryania, ryanodine, is water soluble but stable during storage and stable upon exposure to light.
• Breakdown in vegetation: Ryanodine is not considered to be poisonous to plants [58]. The major degradation product or ryanodine is anhydroxyanodine [58].

Physical Properties:

• Appearance: Ryanodine is a very stable solid at room temperature [12].
• Chemical Name: Ryania
• CAS Number: 15662-33-6
• Molecular Weight: 493.54
• Water Solubility: 100-10,000 mg/L [12], s. in water
• Solubility in Other Solvents: s. in methanol, acetone, ether, and chloroform; i.s. in benzene and petroleum ether [12]
• Melting Point: decomposes @ 219-220 C [12]
• Vapor Pressure: Not Available
• Partition Coefficient: Not Available
• Adsorption Coefficient: Not Available

Exposure Guidelines:

• ADI: Not Available
• MCL: Not Available
• RfD: Not Available
• PEL: Not Available
• HA: Not Available
• TLV: Not Available

Basic Manufacturer:

AgriSystems International
125 W. Seventh St.
Wind Gap, PA 18091

• Phone: 610-863-6700
• Emergency: 610-863-8050
  

References:

References for the information in this PIP can be found in Reference List Number 2

DISCLAIMER: The information in this profile does not in any way replace or supersede the information on the pesticide product labeling or other regulatory requirements. Please refer to the pesticide product labeling.